Business Notes
Career
House named superintendent of the year
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NORCROSS, Ga. - Richard "Rick" House, finished products manager for Clearwater Paper, in Lewiston, Idaho, is the 2010 Brookshire Moore Superintendent of the Year.
This award recognizes the mill superintendent who has shown high personal standards and professional management qualities. House received the award during the PaperCon 2010 Conference in Atlanta in May and will also be inducted into the Couch Pit University, the Papermakers Hall of Fame at the same time.
Rick House
House began his career in 1979 at Potlatch's Brainerd fine paper mill, where he served in various capacities, including stock preparation supervisor, shift superintendent and paper manufacturing superintendent. In 2001, he moved to the Potlatch coated paperboard mill in Lewiston.
Since House moved to the Lewiston mill, gross production has increased from 900 tons/day to 1,350 tons/day currently, with capital influx of less than $10 million. Uptime also improved from the 80 percent range to the high 90th percentile, with several months at 99 percent. Production records have been set for eight years in a row while running lighter weights, improving quality, reducing costs, and developing new grades. Coated two side paperboard grade was launched and has established a strategic product line for commercial print customers.
House graduated from Brainerd High School in 1978. His parents are Dennis and Karel House of Baxter.
Lemieux named to Million Dollar Round Table
Brian Lemieux, of Brainerd, a financial consultant with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, has been named a Qualifying and Life Member of the Million Dollar Round Table.
Brian Lemieux
Qualifying and Life status is earned once approved for the 10th year of membership.
Lemieux qualified for this honor based on his sales excellence, outstanding client service, ethical conduct and professional knowledge in 2009. The MDRT is an international, independent association of leading life insurance and financial services professionals.
Lemieux, who has offices in Baxter, is associated with Thrivent Financial's Northwestern Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota Regional Financial Office. Lemieux has served Thrivent Financial members for 15 years.
Lundy joins Select Therapy
BAXTER - Physical therapist Sarah Lundy joined Select Therapy Inc., an outpatient physical therapy clinic treating conditions ranging from chronic headaches and back pain to sports injuries and surgeries in Baxter.
Lundy has a doctorate of physical therapy from the College of St. Scholastica.
Colonial Life agents attend training
Joe Vreeland, Mike Hagen and Mike Murray attended a two-day training class at the Territory office of Colonial Life in Minneapolis.
The certification enables Colonial agents to enroll employees in core benefit products, they also can provide benefit statements, payroll illustrations and election forms to employees during the benefit communications at open enrollments with their employers.
Yonkovich earns short sale foreclosure certification
The National Association of Realtors Short Sale Foreclosure Certification has been awarded to Susan Yonkovich of Up North Properties Marketing Team and Edina Realty.
Susan Yonkovich
Yonkovich recently attended a two-day seminar in the Twin Cities to earn the specialized certification.
Borders attends Breast Cancer Rehabilitation course
Brainerd Lakes Health announced Peggy Borders, registered occupational therapist and certified lymphedema therapist at the St. Joseph's Medical Center Rehabilitation Department, attended and successfully completed the Klose Breast Cancer Rehabilitation course.
Peggy Borders
This course was sponsored by Susan G. Komen, Brainerd Lakes.
Many breast cancer patients have difficulty regaining their strength and range of motion following breast cancer treatment. Borders attended the course to learn more about rehabilitation techniques that encourage healing following surgical procedures and reconstructions of the breast. In addition, the course taught tools to address the special needs of patients following radiation treatment or range of motion limitations in the upper body due to treatments.
Riverwood CEO joins State Trauma Advisory Council
AITKIN - The Minnesota Department of Health has confirmed the appointment of Riverwood CEO Michael Hagen to fill the position of Rural Hospital Administrator on the State Trauma Advisory Council.
The Minnesota Department of Health said Riverwood's "proven trauma care leadership" was a contributing factor to Hagen's appointment. In December 2006, Riverwood became the first rural hospital in Minnesota to achieve the Level III designation.
Hagen will begin serving on the council in June and his term lasts until January 2012.
The Minnesota trauma system, launched in 2005, features four levels of care with varying degrees of resources available at hospitals. Levels I and II hospitals have the most trauma care resources.
As of early June, the Minnesota Department of Health's website shows that there are four hospitals at Level I, three at Level II, 29 at Level III and 51 at Level IV. Twenty-one additional hospitals have Level III or IV designations in process.
Franni Franken visits CLC
Franni Franken, wife of U.S. Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, stopped by the Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College June 4.
CLC President Larry Lundblad provided a brief tour for Franken and her aide, Debra Wallace, that included nursing labs, the community dental clinic, and the Veterans Resource Center.
Others involved in the visit were CLC Vice President Suresh Tiwari, Director of Diversity Mary Sam and Brainerd Schools Superintendent Steve Razidlo.
EVENTS
Faust Photography to host Friday Morning Coffee
LITTLE FALLS - The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce invites all chamber members, employees and guests to Faust Photography, 24381 203 St in Pierz on Friday, June 18 from 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. for Friday Morning Coffee.
This is an excellent opportunity to kick off your weekend by joining us for a cup of coffee and a donut while making valuable business connections. Announcements and introductions will be at 8:15 a.m. Sponsoring this month is Faust Photography. Expand your networking opportunities and organize a carpool to attend this event.
Chamber of Commerce to host Bulk Mail Lunch and Learn
LITTLE FALLS - The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a learning session on bulk mailing, noon to 1 p.m. June 22 from at the chamber, 200 First St. N.W., Little Falls.
Marty Braumbaugh, from the Little Falls Post Office, will present on the how-to of bulk mailing, covering a wide range of topics including how to correctly fill out the bulk mail form, how to properly sort and bind your bulk mail, and to how to make bulk mail effectively work for your business. This Lunch & Learn is free of charge. Bring your own lunch, the chamber will provide beverages. Space is limited. For more information, call (320) 632-5155 or e-mail ginav@littlefallsmnchamber.com to ensure adequate seating.
Business After Hours planned in Deerwood
DEERWOOD - The Cuyuna Lakes Chamber's networking event Business after Hours is planned from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday at Presbyterian Clearwater Forest, 16595 Crooked Lake Road, Deerwood.
WORKSHOP
'Grantseeking Basics' subject of free workshop
The Brainerd Public Library will host a free workshop on grantseeking basics for nonprofit organizations 1--3:30 p.m. on July 9 at The Grantseeking Basics session will be led by Kief Schladweiler, coordinator of Cooperating Collections with the Foundation Center.
The course will provide an overview of the funding research process for nonprofit organizations seeking grants from foundations, corporations, and grantmaking public charities.
Schladweiler will offer tips on how best to identify funding sources for your organization, highlighting the electronic and print resources available for your free use at the Brainerd Public Library, a Cooperating Collection of the Foundation Center.
The workshop will include a demonstration of the Foundation Directory Online, the Foundation Center's top-tier searchable database providing information on nearly 100,000 grantmakers and more than two million grant records and will provide an overview of the free resources on the Foundation Center's website.
This is a free workshop. Reservations are requested. For more information, call the Brainerd Public Library at 829-2906.
DONATION
Nonprofits receive more than $134,000 grants
LITTLE FALLS - The Initiative Foundation, Little Falls, announced that it recently awarded 21 community grants totaling more than $134,000 to support area projects.
The following area organizations were selected as grant recipients:
Cass County Economic Development Corporation, Backus; Ah-Gwah-Ching Healthcare Campus Study - $2,500 for a citizen group and consultants to identify and study options in expanding a healthcare campus.
Central Lakes College Small Business Development Center, Brainerd; North Central SBDC Business Counseling Project - $10,000 to expand services to current and prospective small business owners with a focus on stabilizing and growing existing companies.
City of Onamia; Healthy Communities Partnership Implementation Phase II - $8,000 to establish a community garden, explore the feasibility of a farmers co-op, enhance the physical appearance of the city and complete a new comprehensive plan.
Horizon Health Inc., Pierz; Little Falls Summer Reads Program - $1,000 to support a summer literacy program that helps low-income preschool and school-aged youth maintain and improve their reading skills.
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle Public Schools; Cinco de Mayo Celebration - $2,000 to coordinate and carry out an annual event which celebrates the community's cultural diversity.
Milaca Public Schools; "Give Me Five" Mentorship Program - $2,500 to strengthen a mentorship program matching adults with vulnerable youth.
Region Five Development Commission, Staples; Microlending Feasibility Study - $5,000 for a feasibility study to determine the viability of a 10-county microlending program.
The Initiative Foundation seeks projects that strengthen central Minnesota communities and address barriers to economic development. Inquiries for applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are generally reviewed within three weeks of receipt.
Thrivent Financial member vote gives $1 million to charity
Members of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a not-for-profit financial services membership organization, recently voted on where to distribute $1 million among 10 national charities through a new program called Thrivent Choice. Funds were distributed to the organizations based on the percentage of they received.
Organizations, and the total funds they received, were:
LCMS World Relief and Human Care - $192,122
Lutheran Disaster Response - $147,242
ELCA World Hunger - $145,345
Habitat for Humanity International - $114,212
LCMS World Mission - $112,315
Feed My Starving Children - $ 99,465
American Heart Association - $ 67,854
WELS Committee on Relief - $ 57,281
WELS Humanitarian Aid Committee - $ 32,987
Lutheran Malaria Initiative - $ 31,176
A total of 150,199 members voted in the inaugural Thrivent Choice Voting Event. The voting took place April 19 May 21.
In 2009, Thrivent Financial provided $113 million to help congregations, communities and nonprofit organizations.